The Fling
by mosaic23
Summary: Last summer almost killed me- figuratively and literally. Both my heart and liver would never be the same. And here I was, back in the same bed, the sins of the night before flooding my mind. I promised myself this wouldn't happen again, but it did. This time, I wouldn't be able to deal with the fallout. Short Story: HEA, No Cheating
1. Part One

_The Fling_

"Hey Mom, I just landed," I said, looking out the window of the private jet. It was raining lightly, misting and blocking out the May sun. The trees that lined the runway seemed fake and artificial. Rows upon perfect rows, just casually lined up next to the concrete of the runway. Beyond then lay the winding freeway that would enter the heart of Seattle. It was almost a lie to pretend that there were trees living next to a runway, separating concrete from concrete.

I missed the spectacular view of New York as planes landed in Newark. I missed the excitement I felt when I arrived in that spectacular city far from home. I hadn't been away from New York for more than six hours and I already wanted to return.

There was too much for me to worry about here, at home.

Kate was tapping away on her phone, probably texting her parents to let them know she arrived safely.

"Oh, that's wonderful, Anastasia! Jack should be waiting for you with the car. Your father and I cannot wait to see you," my mother breathed. I could tell she was excited, and I was glad she was. It was so much easier to pretend to be happy with this arrangement if she was happy I was home. I loved my parents and I would be the first to admit it, but I didn't love the fact that I was home for the summer. That's what I hated. Three months of pure torture.

At least Kate was with me.

"See you soon," I said, not waiting for her response before hanging up.

But, being the dutiful daughter, I was pressured to come home. It was Elliot's last summer in Bellevue before he would enter the real world after graduating from Harvard a few weeks earlier. He wanted to spend it with me, the last time he would be able to throw caution to the wind and party without a care in the world. We both knew that he was going to be employed in New York, working on Wall Street as some kind of software engineer at Merrill Lynch. His future was pretty much set in stone.

I sighed as the plane's wheels tapped the ground once, before fully landing onto the concrete, bringing me back to reality.

"Miss Steele, Miss Kavanaugh, we have arrived," the pilot said over the intercom. Kate pulled out sunglasses and I quickly followed suit. I was certain that I looked like hell, considering the sleepless nights during finals week and the sleepless flight here. If any photographers were lurking around, I didn't want my face splashed around looking less than mildly presentable. Prescott was already at the door, and I saw the familiar black Range Rover pull right up to the stairs of the jet, waiting on the the tarmac. Prescott climbed in the front seat with Jack and we were off, speeding towards the exit gates of the airport.

"How was the flight girls?" Jack asked as we joined the freeway. I loved Jack, and I had a special relationship with him. He was part of the family, someone to take care of Elliot and I when my parents weren't able to.

"It was fine," I said, shrugging. "I miss you, Jack. The cab drivers in New York aren't as chatty as you."

"Well I'm glad you miss me, because I miss you too. It seems like yesterday I was driving a babbling three and a moody six year old around," he said, the lines around his eyes crinkling as he glanced in the mirror. "And Katie, it's wonderful to see you too."

Kate grinned. "Ana and I were more than happy to spend the summer in the Hamptons, but I missed you so much I convinced her to come home with me."

Jack laughed and even Prescott smiled. "Welcome home, ladies."

I smiled, and checked my phone. Elliot was already sending me Snapchat videos of him playing beer pong by the pool. His summer had already started. I stashed my phone in my bag, watching the surrounding area of Seattle speed by in a blur.

The car pulled to a stop in front of the familiar, imposing gates and Jack wasted no time dropping us off at the front door. Standing in front of the place I called home, I was nervous and scared. Home didn't feel like the safe place I remembered it to be. Sighing, I followed Kate up the modern stairs and followed her inside. I stepped into the grand foyer, dramatically modern and imposing, and heard my mother and some other feminine voices in the living room.

"Anastasia!" my mother exclaimed, jumping up from the gray settee and engulfing me in her arms. I dropped my Goyard bag and returned the warm embrace. Over her shoulder I smiled at Mrs. Kavanaugh who was greeting Kate with just as much enthusiasm, before coming over an greeting me.

I pulled away and grinned at my mother. "I wish you would have told me you were having lunch with the ladies. I would have worn something nicer."

Her eyes raked over my Columbia sweater and leggings, but she waved it off. "Darling you look gorgeous as usual."

She reached up and smoothed my chestnut hair, before returning to her place as hostess.

"As much as Katherine and I would love to join you ladies, we are in dire need of some rest. Have a lovely day," I said, waving goodbye to three other women in the room. Kate and I immediately climbed the stairs to my room.

"It hasn't changed much has it?" Kate asked me, placing her bag on the window seat, before settling on the chaise on the opposite side of the room. I glanced around my bedroom, smiling at the collage of pictures clustered above my desk. It was the only part of the room that displayed anything remotely personal- everything else was decorated to perfection. I flopped on my bed, gazing up at the ceiling before letting myself completely relax and drift off to sleep.

I woke up and wasn't surprised to see it was dark outside. Kate was curled up next to me on the bed and I silently thanked her thoughtfulness as I examined the blanket that was draped over us. She was my best friend and the best roommate.

I pulled out my phone and I wasn't surprised to see a shocking number of tweets and messages asking where I was and when I would be arriving at the party. I threw a pillow at Kate to wake her up.

She sat up, looking mildly dazed. "That's a nice way to say thanks."

I grinned. "I'd be a popsicle without you."

"Why'd you wake me up?" she asked, standing up and stretching.

"It seems we made it home in time of the first party of the season. We missed the pregame," I explained. "You can shower in the guest room if you want."

She nodded, and collected her bags that had arrived in my room while we were sleeping. I didn't feel like going out, but everyone was expecting me to.

I stood in front of the mirror wrapped in a towel, appraising myself. I had changed a lot since last summer. Freshman year in New York was a blessing. My hair was longer and healthier, nearly reaching my waist with gentle waves at the ends. My muscles were more toned, giving my long limbs definition and purpose. I still had the remnants of a tan from the Spring Break Kate and I spent in Turks and Caicos. Kate appeared behind me, her blonde hair wrapped in a towel to dry. She was already dressed in a gorgeous red bandage dress. She was dressed to impress and to get laid.

I sat down next to her on the plush white carpet in front of the mirror and began my makeup. "Ana, that dress is gorgeous."

I smiled at her in the mirror as she expertly applied eyeliner. "And yours is turning me on."

She grinned. "It's definitely working then?"

"You look amazing, Kate. But we both already knew that," I said. "I'm not ready for tonight."

She sighed as she began to curl her hair. "Honestly, you have nothing to worry about. There's no way Elliot will find out. I'm certain that only the three of us know. And he wouldn't risk seeking you out, not tonight. There's going to be too much attention on you."

"Yeah, but you know he and Elliot are as thick as thieves. Christian is his favorite beer pong partner when I'm not available," I said, deciding to leave my hair down as it was. "Plus Elliot is determined to go to every party this summer, which means I'll be going to all of them too."

She shrugged. "Look, Steele. I hate to say this, but there's nothing either of you can do. I know you don't want to accept that, but that's the truth. Unless you are prepared to make it clear to him, or do something public, your hands are tied. Let it go."

I frowned, but I knew Kate was right. Christian had always been a thorn in my side and last summer, but since I got home, it was feeling more like a knife. But, that came with the territory of knowing the same people since before you were born.

Both Carrick Grey and Eamon Kavanaugh were founding partners, along with my father, Raymond Steele, of one of the first desalination companies in history. It was the first company to offer privatized desalination for single homes or buildings, and now, with the value placed on water, it was one of the most profitable companies in the world. Naturally, our fathers mixed work and pleasure and I grew up along side Kate, Elliot, Mia, Ethan, and Christian.

"Steele, come on, we need to take a picture!" Kate exclaimed, as I reemerged from my closet putting in diamond stud earrings. We posed, and Kate uploaded the picture, immediately causing her phone to explode with notifications.

"That's a cute caption," I said, reading it. _Every blonde needs a brunette._

 _"_ Well, it's certainly true," she said. "And right now I need my brunette to get me a few shots of vodka!"

I laughed and slid into my black Saint Laurent peep toe heels. I walked over to my dresser and opened the bottom drawer. "This reminds me of high school."

Kate walked over and laughed. "I love that it's still fully stocked."

I pulled out a bottle of Grey Goose and we passed it back and fourth nearly drinking half of it between us.

"Gum?" I asked, handing Kate a stick. She accepted graciously and we linked arms before heading down the stairs.

"Big bro!" I practically yelled into my phone, waving to my mother who was resting on the couch, her computer on her lap. She smiled at us, waving us out of the house. "Where are you?"

"Stas! It's the Grey's house! Get your ass over here now!" he bellowed and hung up.

We climbed into the black Range Rover, and Jack was smiling at us. "Have fun and be safe tonight, girls."

I smiled. My parents allowed us to party as long as we were safe and avoided trouble. It was easier than trying to hide it from them, and the stipulation of safe mainly meant that Jack was on standby to pick us up and drop us off.

Kate grabbed my hand as we pulled through the open gates. People were milling outside, and I recognized kids from the public high school as well as Seattle Prep. Trust Mia Grey to mix the crowds. I didn't mind though. In my partially buzzed state I enjoyed the attention. Alcohol did wonders for improving my self-confidence.

We climbed out of the car, and instantly people were talking about us. Kate pulled me into the house, where the music was playing and the bass was thumping.

"Ana!" Mia yelled, making a beeline towards us. "Kate!"

We smiled, and caught her in the three way hug. Mia was our little sister for all intensive purposes. She hated that she was the youngest, but we always tried to include her, and now, it seemed like she was of age, being that she was going to be a junior in high school in the fall. "I missed you guys so much!"

"We missed you too Mia," I said. "You have to visit us in New York next year when you and Ethan do college tours, okay?"

"Oh I'd love to!" she said. Kate smiled at the mention of her little brother, who was the same age as Mia.

"I bet you guys could use the jet too," I said. Our parents split the cost of having a jet for all of us. Elliot and Christian usually traveled together from Harvard and Kate and I followed suit, attending Columbia together. Ethan and Mia were already set to go to Dartmouth or Penn, so the investment was worth it.

"That would be so much fun!" she exclaimed. "Come find me later! A bunch of my friends want to meet both of you! Elliot is looking for you Ana- he's playing beer pong."

"I swear to god my brother is obsessed. I would have thought he would have outgrown it by now," I said, shaking my head with a laugh.

Kate chuckled too as we made our way into the amazing kitchen. "Once a frat boy, always a frat boy."

"No fucking way!" Elliot boomed, elbowing people out of the way to get to me. "Stas!"

He lifted me off the ground and I laughed as he spun me. "Hey El!"

"I missed you so much," he whispered, kissing the top of my head. I grinned, our blue eyes meeting.

"Missed you too, brother bear," I said.

"Katie, get over here!" he yelled to my blonde friend. She rolled her eyes at him, and apologized to the girls she was talking to.

"Hey Elliot," she said, hugging him and kissing his cheek. I tried to hide my smile at the slight blush that appeared on my brother's cheeks. "It's been too long."

He pulled back and smiled. "It's good to see you. Yo, Christian, get over here!"

I paled, and Kate squeezed my hand. I spotted the trademark bronze hair, and I felt the familiar tingles in my stomach and up my spine. And then suddenly, those killer grey eyes met mine and I was done for.

Kate greeted him first, kissing both of his cheeks instead of hugging him. He chatted to her for what seemed like a lifetime before stepping towards me.

"Anastasia," he said, stepping forwards. I made a move to kiss his cheek too, but I felt his arms wrap around my waist. It was probably the alcohol that gave me the confidence to wrap my arms around his shoulders.

I pulled back quickly, fighting the urge to stay in his arms. "Christian."

I avoided meeting Elliot's questioning gaze, and I pretended to wave to someone standing behind Christian. As I walked away, trying not to run, I heard Elliot.

"Dude, what the fuck was that?"

I quickly made my escape towards the large patio, my cheeks on fire. People were smiling and waving, trying to catch my attention. I smiled and made a beeline for the outside bar.

A boy, probably seventeen or eighteen was in charge of mixing the drinks. I strolled towards him and he straightened, placing both of his hands on the bar between us. He was cute- blonde and tall.

"You're Anastasia, right?" he asked, not intimidated. I smirked.

"Yes. But I don't know who you are," I said, biting my lip.

"I'm Luke Sawyer," he said, extending his hand. I shook it.

"You're a year younger than me, right?" I asked, recognizing his name.

"Yeah! Wow I'm surprised you recognized my name," he said.

"I meet a lot of people and I know a lot of people, but I really only remember the important ones," I said, giving him a salacious smile. "Now, can you pour me two shots of Goose?"

"Sure thing," he said, pouring three shots into three separate mini red solo cups. I took the first and swallowed it in one gulp and moved onto the next two.

"Another one, please," I said. I wanted to get drunk, to forget what happened with Christian and the fact that Elliot was already suspicious. He raised his eyebrows, and handed me a half shot. I narrowed my eyes at him and downed it, walking away quickly. I wove between the growing crowd outside and found myself leaning against the side of the house, alone with my thoughts.

Christian wasn't exactly a people person. For as long as I could remember, he never let anyone touch him. I knew he was adopted and my parents told me about the time I hugged him when I was three and he withdrew like he had been shocked. Hell, he was violent when angry and I learned that first hand, watching him punch walls on multiple occasions. But, it was the fighting at school that really scared me. And the rumors everyone spread about him.

He was accused of raping a girl, beating her black and blue, and then burning her with a lighter. It turned out that the girl was fine, just a bruise on her hip which she showcased in a crop top, explaining that she fell of the bed when they were hooking up. Christian confirmed it, but beat up anyone who was still talking about the rumor the next day. That scared me.

Luke snapped me out of my thoughts, standing in front of me. "Are you okay? You don't seem to be enjoying the party."

I gave him a small smile. "It's kind of boring, don't you think? It's the same people, the same atmosphere, and the same drinks."

He laughed, flashing his white teeth. "Not really, well not from behind the bar, I mean."

"Is that an invitation?" I asked, turning on the charm. I was happily buzzed and overly friendly.

"If you would like it to be one. I could do with another set of hands out here as soon as someone decides a pool party is more fun," he said.

I watched Luke as he began mixing drinks for people, teasing them and conversing with them. It was very different to watch the party unfold from behind the bar. I felt protected, but still like I was a part of the action.

"Steele, how'd you get stuck with drink duty?" Kate asked, looking confused. I grinned.

"Luke here needed help," I responded, placing my hand on his arm. Kate's eyebrows raised, and she grabbed my elbow and dragged me from behind the bar.

"How much have you had to drink?" she asked, steadying me.

"Enough," I said. "I'm not drinking anymore, but I needed to relax."

She nodded in understanding. "You're avoiding Christian."

I avoided her gaze, scanning the people milling around the pool. There was no sign of Christian or Elliot.

"And now you're avoiding the question," Kate snapped.

"That wasn't a question, Kate," I responded icily, frowning at her.

She shrugged it off. "Look, Ana, I know you're freaked about the hug. We all are. Ethan and Mia haven't stopped asking me questions about it."

"They saw that?" I asked. "Jesus Christ, Kate! Everyone will find out about last summer and there's no way in hell I can deal with all of that."

Kate had nothing to say to that. She nodded her head back towards the bar. "I think you know what to do about that."

I nodded, taking her advice. I exhaled heavily. " Causing another scandal to hide another. I'll make sure the timing is perfect."

She gave me a hug and I stepped back behind the bar and wrapped my arm around Luke's waist. "Let's make Jagerbombs!"

We go to work, and more and more people were coming up to the bar. The party was moving outside, and I kept an eye on the door waiting for Kate to reappear with my brother and Christian in tow. Under Mia's direction, three guys moved the speakers outside and I knew it was time. Somehow, the alcohol hadn't hit me nearly as strongly as I thought it would.

Kate returned with two guys, who seemed to know Luke well, and convinced Luke to let them take the bar. He was more than happy to relinquish control, and I suspected that I had something to do with that.

"Come on, let's go dance," I said, grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the patio. I turned to smile and he was grinning.

I wasn't brave enough to take him right into the center, and people were already taking notice of us together and smiling, whispering to each other. A few more girls looked upset, and I had a feeling that Luke was very popular in his grade. He stepped right behind me and place his hands on my waist, gently guiding me to move. I trailed my hands up my sides and swept my hair over my shoulder, glancing up at him as he watched. I knew how to put on a good show and I wove my fingers through his hands on my waist. I began to turn myself slowly to face him. His hands stayed on my waist and I locked my fingers behind his neck. He leaned down slightly and our lips met.

It wasn't fireworks, but a delicious tingle spread through my body. I felt his hand slid down to palm my butt over my dress.

My eyes flew open as soon as I felt Luke get pushed away from me. "Elliot!"

"Dude, that's my little sister! Have some respect man!" Elliot yelled in Luke's face. Before I could chastise Elliot, I saw a furious Christian appear next to me. I stepped around both him and Elliot, until I was next to Luke, glaring at my older brother.

"Elliot," I said, my voice dangerously calm. "You are out of line."

"He's out of line! His hands all over you like that!" Elliot yelled, gesturing towards him. "At least let me pretend my little sister is still innocent and do it behind closed doors! Come on, man, a little respect!'  
I glared at Elliot. "I'm nineteen Elliot. I make my own decisions."

"Oh yeah, like letting some random guy squeeze your ass?" he asked. Before I could respond, I heard a growl, and I saw a fist flying towards me.

My nose was tingling, and I could feel the pain quickly take over. I reached my hand up to my face and saw the blood. My eyes were stinging with unshed tears and the party was suspiciously silent around me.

"Shit, Anastasia," Luke said, cupping my cheek tenderly.

"Get your fucking hands off her right now," Christian said. "It's you're fault she was hit. You fucking ducked."

I looked around frantically for Kate or Mia, but I couldn't see either of them. I felt myself get pulled away from Luke and Elliot, and I saw it was Christian who was leading me back into the house.

I followed him up the familiar stairs towards his room. He opened the door and sat me on his bed. The very same bed that was haunting me.

He darted into his bathroom and came back with a glass of water and a damp washcloth. I was crying, and I didn't really know what to do. He sighed and knelt in front of me and began wiping up the blood with very gentle strokes.

"I have to get some gauze, I'll be right back," he said softly, giving me to cloth to hold to my nose while it kept bleeding.

He returned a short while later with a first aid kit and some wipes. He carefully pushed rolled gauze into my nose and placed an ice pack in my hand. He removed a few wipes and began removing the smeared mascara.

When he finished, he threw everything away, and took the ice pack from me and held it himself. "Listen Ana, I- I'm so sorry. I know that doesn't mean anything right now, but I never meant to hurt you."

I scoffed. "Yes, you did. As soon as you and Elliot intervened, you set out to hurt me."

He dropped his head, gazing at the floor. "We shouldn't have slept together. Everything changed."

It felt like a knife in my side as soon as he said that. But he was right. "I agree."

He glanced up, and I was met with his stormy grey eyes. "You do?"

"Look Christian, that was last year. I forgot about it and you should too," I said, shrugging. I wiggled my face around, trying to figure out where he hit other than my nose. My left cheek was a little sore, but my nose took most of it.

He nodded. "Do you want some Advil?"

I nodded and took the ice pack from him as he walked over to his nightstand and pulled out a bottle. "One or two?"

"Three," I said. He nodded and extended his hand. I took the pills and washed them down with the water. "Thanks for taking care of me."

He shook his head as he untucked his white collared shirt from his jeans. "Don't thank me. I owe you about thirty seven favors. I can check our score board if you want."

"You still have that?" I asked, remembering the notebook we created to keep track of the favors we did for each other. He nodded, ducking into his closet and threw a notebook at me. I tried to catch it, but it landed in my lap. I was definitely still a bit tipsy. I opened it up and smiled, glancing up at him once he stepped out of the closet. He was wearing low-hanging grey linen pajama pants and holding a white tee shirt in his hands.

I snuck a quick look at his chiseled body and he seemed even more muscular and tall than last year. His hair was just as unruly and bronze, but his cheek bones and jawline were so incredibly sharp. I knew he rowed at Harvard, but this physique was certainly more sculpted, his skin slightly sun kissed. Christian had grown up.

I tried to stand, but wobbled. He caught me before I could fall. I glanced up into his eyes, trying to understand what he was feeling, what he was thinking at that moment. I got my answer as soon as his lips touched mine.

Automatically, my hands went to his hair and pulled gently, enjoying how soft it was. I felt his body press into mine and my body responded, pressing back and heating with every movement. His lips never left my own as he gently guided me to lie back on bed. He settled between my legs and I felt all of him covering me.

I moaned when his lips began to explore my jaw and my neck. My back arched and I felt him hard and firm right where I wanted him most. His hands grazed the sides of my breasts and my heart was hammering out of control. I rolled my hips, thankful that my dress was sliding up my thighs. I moaned again, this time accompanied by his groan. His hips thrust into my own, hard, and the two thin pieces of fabric separating us were doing nothing to hide how wet I was. His tongue entered my mouth again, matching the same rhythm he set with his hips. His hands slipped to the neckline of my dress, slipping _**inside,**_ and I felt a swell of confidence as his fingers brushed my braless nipples. Taking control, I rolled over him, so I was firmly planted on top of him, feeling every vein of his cock. My dress was rucked up to my waist and his hands were now pressing me down as I began to grind my hips into his. I sat up, grabbed the edge of my dress, pulling it off in one fluid movement. He instantly sat up so we were face to face and he held my head tender before planting a searing kiss on my lips. I kept rocking back and fourth craving more of that delicious friction that was driving me crazy. His hand slipped around from my butt and slipped down the front of my thong. He hissed when he flicked my clit, causing me grind down hard on him.

"Fuck Ana," he breathed, his forehead resting on my bare shoulder. I was frantic trying to chase an orgasm that seemed to be so far away.

"That's the idea," I spit out between heavy breaths. He chuckled and pushed me back down into the mattress. He moved against me relentlessly and I felt the pressure reach a peak. My mouth was open in a silent scream as I felt my body shake against his. I was barely aware of him shuddering and thrusting against me, finding his own release.

My eyes grey heavy and I felt him roll off me. I eagerly welcomed the sleep.

 _ **Thank you everyone for the continuous support and unwavering**_ __ _ **patience. I would not have returned to this story if it weren't for all of you.**_

 _ **Check out my Pinterest board for this story- search /mosaic23/**_

 _ **Find me on Facebook: Mosaic Twenty-Three**_


	2. Part Two

My nose was throbbing. I cracked open my eyes and I blinked a few times to identify the unfamiliar ceiling- dark grey, a stark contrast to the cold, clinical white of the walls. There was only one person I knew with a room this cold and impersonal. A room I had been in thousands of times, but under very different circumstances. Except for the last time I was in here. I was back in the same bed, the same room, waking up after a passionate night fueled by slightly too much alcohol. I turned, hearing heavy, sleepy breathing from besides me.

This had to be a bad case of deja vu. I glanced down, and I was naked except for a soiled and partially ripped thong that was sticking to the inside of my thigh. I was mortified, and I felt the familiar feeling of panic rise as I took in the slumbering Christian Grey lying next to me. He looked so innocent, so peaceful. A huge difference to the memories that were flashing through my mind- the carnal intensity in his eyes.

I took a deep breathe and eased my way out of bed as carefully as possible. I tiptoed to the bathroom, grabbing my dress from the floor along the way, careful not to shut the door fully. In the bathroom, I stared at myself in the mirror, flinching at the bright lights and my own reflection.

My hair was a mess, and I thanked my lucky stars that I had a hair tie on my wrist. Throwing it up in a bun, I ran the water slowly, splashing it on my face and removing the last traces of makeup from under my eyes. I peeled off my soiled panties and threw them in the garbage can before wiping myself down. Shuddering, I pulled on my dress, shaking my head at myself in the mirror. I told myself after last summer this wasn't going to happen again, but it did. And I had a nagging feeling that the consequences would be so much greater if anyone found out.

I touched my nose gently, trying to ignore the bruises that were forming under my eyes and on my left cheek. My nose looked swollen, but it didn't hurt as much now that I was standing. I cursed myself for not having my phone on me and screaming internally when I remembered I left it on the bar outside. I was royally fucked. Sighing, I exited the bathroom and grabbed my shoes on the way out of Christian's room.

It felt like the longest walk of my life as I made my way down the hallway towards the floating glass stairs. I heard voices, and took a deep breath. If I tried to sneak past Grace and Carrick, they would know I was guilty of something. I had never felt like a stranger in the Greys' home. I didn't like it.

I heard Grace walk out of the kitchen and towards where I was climbing down the stairs. She spotted me and her eyebrows raised.

"Ana! What an interesting surprise," she exclaimed, smiling kindly. She noticed my face and instantly transformed into the concerned parent. "Goodness! What happened?"

I shrugged. "Good morning, Grace. It's lovely to see you."

She returned my hug and I smiled and waved at Carrick who was in the kitchen. "Good morning, Ana."

I turned back to Grace. "I was the wrong recipient of a punch."

She frowned. "I'll talk to Christian later."

I paled. "No, Grace! Honestly, he took care of me and let me pass out in his bed."

She nodded, but frowned. We both knew that Christian wasn't the caring one- that was Mia. Carrick interrupted. "I think I'll have a conversation with Christian. I want to know exactly how he took care of you."

I was shocked by his choice of words, but Carrick's eyes were sparkling with laughter. I suspected that he probably knew what was going on. Fortunately, Grace was in doctor mode and didn't pick up on the implications of her husband's statement.

"Yes, it could be broken. Why don't you stay for brunch and I can take a look at it?" Grace offered. I wanted to escape, but I couldn't say no to the woman who was practically one of my other mothers. I nodded and placed my shoes by the door and followed her into the expansive kitchen.

"Carrick, could you fetch the first aid kit from my office?" Grace asked, motioning for me to sit on the kitchen table.

"It's actually in Christian's room," I said, hoping that by telling the partial truth they wouldn't discover the whole thing. "What time did the cleaning crews get here this morning?"

Grace chuckled. "You know Mia. They were gone by seven. Although apparently, it was a very clean party. Your phone is on the table in the foyer by the way. Okay, let's see how good my son is at playing doctor."

I chocked and Grace laughed. She gently touched my bruises and tapped on my cheekbone.

"Well you're cheek bone isn't broken, which is what I was really concerned about," she said. "We'll have to remove the gauze from your nostrils though. That's not going to be comfortable."

"They're dried in there, aren't they?" I asked as Grace grabbed tweezers from the box Carrick had placed on the table next to me.

She nodded and pulled one out quickly, ignoring my wince when she pulled out the second one. "There, that should be much better."

"Thank you, Grace," I said, moving to stand. "I would love to accept your offer for brunch, but I'm afraid my mother will be wondering where I am. Plus, Ray is coming home today."

Grace pushed me towards the front door. "Your father has been talking about nothing but having his two kids home for the summer. We'll probably see you four later for dinner with the Kavanaugh's."

I smiled as I walked down the driveway, spotting Kate in the driver's seat of the red convertible at the end of the driveway. She chuckled at me as I climbed into the car barefoot and tossed my heels on her lap.

"Have a good night?" she asked, waiting for the gates to open. I nodded and closed me eyes. "Your nose doesn't look broken, but your mother will have a fit when she sees those bruises. We have the charity luncheon in two weeks."

I groaned and tried to melt into the leather seat, enjoying the warmth of the sun on my face. "Whatever."

"Anastasia Steele!" she scolded. "Never, in my life, have I heard you groan about any charity event."

"First time for everything," I muttered as she pulled to a stop in front of my house. For once I was thankful we lived so close to the Grey's and the Kavanaugh's.

"Yeah, but last night wasn't the first time, was it?" Kate said, lowering her sunglasses, pulling away before I could respond. I wasn't a violent person by nature, but kicking the potted plant off the top step was extremely gratifying.

I opened the front door and sighed in relief when I couldn't hear any voices. I glanced at the clock on the far wall of the living room, and was pleased it was only 8. My mother wouldn't be back from her spinning class yet. I darted up the stairs and breathed a sigh of relief, locking my door. I heard a scratching at my door and smiled, opening it to reveal a very exuberant dog, Beau.

"Hi buddy," I said, crouching down, allowing him to lick my face. "I missed you! Mommy forgot to pick you up from the kennels yesterday, hmm?"

I grinned when I spotted Helen darting through the door and onto my window seat. Where Beau went, our cat followed. His tail was still wagging as I shut the door, and he hopped up onto my bed. I tossed him a toy from a basket on the bottom shelf of my built-ins and he happily chewed away.

I stepped into my closet and peeled off my dress, ignoring the bruising on my face. A hot shower was what I wanted the most right now, and as I stepped under the warm water, I finally felt myself relax.

I was snuggling with Beau, still wrapped up in towels, when there was a knock on my door, I sighed and eased myself out of bed, starting to feel the effects of last night on my body. Everything was sore.

I pulled the door open and froze.

A very startled Christian Grey was standing on the other side. My mother was standing behind him and her hand flew up and covered her mouth.

"Oh Ana! Does it hurt?" she asked, her hand sliding to her throat to play with the necklace. A nervous habit we shared.

"I'm okay, Mom," I said. Feeling extremely self-conscious I turned my attention back to Christian. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to apologize," he said, producing a bouquet of daisies from behind his back. He turned to my mother. "Would you mind if I speak to Anastasia quickly, Carla?"

"No, of course not darling," she said, reaching up to smooth his hair and tenderly cup his cheek. I frowned at her retreating figure.

"Mom! I'm not even dressed!" I called out after her, trying to get a rise out of Christian.

She turned and chuckled. "He's practically your brother, Ana. I'm fairly certain you and Elliot wear towels in front of each other."

"Can I come in?" he asked, having the decency to look mildly contrite. I stepped out of the way and glared at my traitorous dog who decided to jump up and greet him. He turned his attention back to me, absentmindedly stoking Beau, who was leaning against his legs. "You're face isn't as bruised as it was last night."

I said nothing, but met his steely gaze head on. He sighed and straightened, placing the flowers on my desk. "Look, Ana, I- I don't know what else to do but apologize again and again."

I shook my head. "Why did you do it?"

"You know it was an accident," he said.

"No, not that. Why did you feel the need to throw a punch in the first case? I'm not stupid Christian. We fucking grew up together and you never seemed to care about my interest in guys before," I said, challenging him.

He ran his fingers through his hair. "I guess I see you like a little sister."

I scoffed. "That's bullshit and you know it. It's incestuous for you to say that, and then your actions show something completely different. I don't have time for your shit, Christian."

He stood up, anger flashing dangerously across his face. "I don't know what you want me to say, Ana! I can't give you a good enough answer, if that's what your asking."

I sighed. "So you won't flip out if I bring Luke to dinner with out families tonight?"

He slammed his fist down on my bedside table. "No fucking way! That's only for serious relationships and you know it! Stay away from Sawyer, Anastasia. I mean it!"

I raised my eyebrows, refusing to back down. "You know, I always thought we were better friends than any one else. I used to trust you more than Kate, and I know you trust me more than Elliot. Why are you suddenly not trusting my judgement?"

"Let it go, Ana- I mean it," he said, taking two measured steps towards me, his mouth set in a hard line, his eyes dark and dangerous.

"No, not until you let me go," I said, blinking back the tears that were threatening to fall. His face instantly softened when he noticed.

"I can't do that either. Look at our lives, we are supposed to be friends, family even," he said, lowing his gaze to the floor.

"Why did you do it, Christian," I asked, whispering this time. "Last summer. You could have said no. I would have gotten over it eventually."

He met my gaze, just watching me blink back tears.

"You know why," he said, inhaling sharply before turning and walking out my room. I stood there in shock, processing what had just happened.

Beau was lying down on the floor in my closet, Helen snuggled against him. I took a snapchat, and smiled at my two pets, who as usual, were in the way. I gazed at myself in the mirror. My white dress and lace up heels were stunning, but I couldn't cover the bruise on my face well enough. Sighing, I gathered my phone and lip gloss in a clutch, and shut off the light, leaving the slumbering animals in peace.

"You did a good job of covering the bruises, darling," my mother said, giving me an appraising look. "I'm so pleased you are wearing your watch."

I smiled at my mother, feeling the weight of my graduation present on my wrist. My father loved it when I wore my gifts, and tonight, I needed him to as even-tempered as possible, especially if the incident was going to be brought up at dinner.

Elliot scrambled down the stairs, Beau hot on his heels as he ran out the front door and into the arms of my father. I ran as fast as I could in heels and joined the hug.

"I missed you both so much," he said, kissing our heads.

"Daddy, I'm so glad you're home," I said, breathing in his familiar smell. He looked good, clean shaven and no longer trying to hide his salt and pepper hair. He was turning into a silver fox.

"Annie, what happened to your face?" he asked, his eyes roaming my face.

"The person who as supposed to receive this punch ducked and I was standing behind him," I said. "Nothing's broken."

His eyebrows rose. "Did you consider pressing charges?"

I scoffed. "As if Carrick Grey would let you lock up his son."

Ray visibly relaxed. "He'll let me give him a hard time for it though."

I grinned, happy that my father seemed to find and enjoy the humor in this situation.

"You look lovely, Annie," he said, kissing the top of my head as I headed back inside to grab my car keys. Elliot and Ray joined me in foyer as my mother floated into the room.

"Jack will be driving your father and I. Ana, I trust you know how to get to the mile high club," she said, giving Elliot and I hugs and kisses. I nodded and strolled to the garage, climbing into the matte blue Porsche Panamera.

It was an easy drive into downtown Seattle, and Elliot was singing his heart out to some song he insisted we play on repeat. I didn't mind. I was thankful he wasn't grilling me about last night and that we seemed to have an unspoken agreement to not bring it up again.

I handed the keys to valet, who seemed to recognize Elliot, and we were quickly ushered inside by a very efficient doorman who was on the lookout for photographers. I plastered on a smile as we met everyone else in the lobby. We greeted each other and began to enter the elevator.

"I'll wait for the next one," I said, laughing at the ten adults squeezed inside. "We all used to fit when we were younger."

They nodded, and I waved, laughing at their discomfort as the doors shut.

"Moments like that make me miss childhood," Christian breathed in my ear, giving me a heart attack. I groaned internally at the thought of us being stuck down here together. "How are you doing, Anastasia?"

"I'm fine, Christian," I said, crossing my arms over my chest. He was smiling shyly and he never looked as endearing as he did in this moment. The elevator arrived, the doors opening, and a group of people exited. Christian stepped close behind me and placed a hand on the small of my back guiding me forwards. I felt a delicious tingle travel up my back.

He was leaning against the wall on the other side of the elevator, staring at me. I felt uncomfortable, but I refused to let him win. I stared back, extremely aware of the electricity that seemed to be palpable in the air between us. The door started to slide open, and he graciously waved me forwards, hand immediately going to my lower back again.

We were escorted back to the two tables where the rest of our families were seated. I groaned internally when I realized the the two seats left were at the table with Ray, Carrick, Eamon, and Elliot, while everyone else was seated at the table right next to ours.

"Ana, it's lovely to see you," Eamon beamed, standing, causing all of the men at our table to stand. I caught my mother's eye and she smiled softly, giving nothing away. I was instantly suspicious. Kate caught my eye and smirked, and held up her phone, signaling me to check it.

"Em, it's lovely to see you too!" I said, hugging him back. Eamon Kavanaugh was a lovely man, much more easy going and fun than my father, and I loved him for that. It was easy to see why Kate sometimes found him mildly embarrassing.

Christian helped me into my seat, and sat down next to me, the table suddenly seeming much too small. I pulled my phone out of my clutch and paled when I saw what popped up on the screen. There was a notification from Instagram account that seemed to collect all of the paparazzi photos of me the owner could find. Usually it was focused on my outfits and clothes, but this time, there was a photo of Christian turned towards me, his hand on my back. I slipped my phone back in my clutch, and swiped Elliot's wine glass and drained it while everyone laughed at a joke.

"So Ana, I hear you have a very exciting internship lined up for next summer," Carrick said, drawing me into the conversation.

"Yes, I'll be interning at Tory Birch. I'm still unclear about what it entails, but it's an excellent opportunity to see how a business like that fully operates," I said.

"It's just unfortunate that you'll be staying in New York over the summer," my father said.

I shrugged. "It's worth it."

I glanced up from my food and notice Elliot and Christian engaged in some kind of silent battle of wills. Carrick also picked up on it and chuckled under his breath.

"So Christian, what on earth did my daughter do to deserve such violence against her?" my father asked. Carrick was smiling and he winked at me. I paled.

"Nothing, I meant to hit someone else. The coward ducked," he said, shrugging.

"And Christian, you took good care of her, didn't you son?" Carrick asked. Christian choked on his water.

"I- um, yeah I guess," he said. Carrick was watching him closely, and I knew Christian was getting more and more angry by each passing second. "No, you know what- the truth was I was protecting your daughter's reputation, Raymond."

I scowled at him and was about to speak up the Carrick jumped in. "Yes, you certainly did, didn't you?"

I watched as Carrick silently attempted to get his son to admit that we had spent the night together. I was frozen, holding my breathe. Christian stood up violently, and threw his napkin down on his plate. "Good evening everyone."

He stalked out of the restaurant and didn't look back once.

"I wonder what girl has his underwear in a twist," Eamon mused. Carrick looked directly at me.

The rest of the meal passed by in a blur. Elliot and the other men at my table were laughing and animated, completely forgetting the sudden and furious departure of one stormy-eyed Christian Grey.

The music in the Mile High Club was slowly increasing in volume and tempo as the night wore on. It was tradition for the adults to stay behind and dance the night away in the nightclub, but I had a feeling that we were going to stay too. I poached Mia and Kate from the other table and we made our way to the bathroom. Kate would have interrogated me there, but having Mia act as a shield would stop her from asking too many questions.

We returned to the tables, and Kate was sending off texts in rapid succession, and my phone was vibrating constantly. I rolled my eyes at her, and finished Elliot's glass of wine, ignoring Carrick's perceptive gaze. Our server came to interrupt us and invite us to move our bill to the bar for the rest of the evening. Eamon jumped up to confer with Eleanor, and I glanced at Grace and my mother who looked pretty merry from the amount of wine they head consumed. It was safe to assume our parents would hit the dance floor.

We were ushered towards a plush private booth in the next room, the thumping base already creating a vibrant, enthralling atmosphere. I chuckled as our parents placed their drinks on the table and danced their way onto the packed floor, letting their hair down.

They all worked so hard- especially Ray, Carrick, and Eamon, it was good to see them let their hair down, so to speak. And I wasn't the only one laughing at the show they put on, bodies moving to Rihanna's Work. Kate was pissing herself laughing, and Ethan looked scarred.

"I'm going to go and dance!" Mia announced happily, jumping up. Elliot nodded, escorting her to the floor. Despite her age, Mia was always keen to dance with anyone, and Elliot knew Christian would kill whoever tried to put their hands on her. Kate rolled her eyes and scooted closer to me.

"I feel bad for her, she's the baby girl and she'll never get a chance to live," Kate practically yelled in my ear over the music. I nodded in agreement. "We need to watch out for photographers here. It's Friday which means all of the prowlers will be out."

Kate was being kind using that word. Prowlers were the scumbags who followed us, taking pictures and hoping to sell them for a hefty pay out. Also lumped into that group were the women and girls who did their very best to catch the attention of our brothers, and even our fathers.

"I'll stay here for a while if you want to dance," I offered to both Ethan and Kate. She nodded.

"Christian seemed really pissed off earlier," she said, raising a perfectly arched brow. I shrugged.

"I think Carrick is onto us," I said casually, purposely ignoring her gasp.

"No fucking way!" she exclaimed. "Steele, what the fuck?"

"It's fine Kate."

"Like hell it is! I don't know if you've checked any tabloids yet, but you are a steadily trending topic. Especially since you came back home," she explained. "We're getting national attention now, and I think our parents are considering adding a CPO for each of us, instead of one for both kids."

"Jesus," I said, blatantly finishing off my mom's drink. Kate chuckled.

"It will be fine Steele, just be aware. I'm going to go and dance, come find me when you want to leave. It's pretty irresponsible of you to drink when you're supposed to be the designated driver."

"I'll call Jack to come and pick us all up," I said, shrugging. Kate sighed and headed to the floor, her younger brother hot on her heels, spotting some girl who looked about his age.

I sat and watched for what seemed like hours before someone caught my eye. He was tall and well-build, powerful. He still hadn't turned around from the bar, and I was definitely curious. Picking up the empty glass, I wove through the throng of writhing bodies and reached the bar.

"Gin and tonic, please," I said, nodding at the bartender. The man next to me turned and met my eyes with a steady gaze.

"Anastasia Steele," he said, his voice caressing my name like satin. I quirked an eyebrow.

"You know who I am," I stated.

"Jose Rodriguez. And I'm fairly certain you know who I am," he said.

"The photographer," I stated, recognizing his name. He was one of the most sought after fashion photographers, and considering I was going to be interning for a designer next summer, I knew exactly who he was.

"Have you ever considered modeling? With your look and physique I have no doubt you could be extremely successful," he said, handing me his card. I slipped it in between two fingers and grabbed the glass that was set down on the bar.

"I'll think about it."

I meandered back to the booth, smiling at how much fun my family members seemed to be having. Elliot was chatting up some redhead who was blushing and looked like she'd never been to club like this. I glanced at Kate who had definitely noticed, and was busy dancing solo in front of a booth of attractive guys. Mia and Ethan were doing some ridiculous dance and had roped a few others to join them. I didn't look for our parents, because they would either be locked in a very romantic embrace or gone. When I turned my attention back to my drink, Christian was sitting on the other side of the booth.

"Let's get out of here," he said, standing and gliding over to help me up.

I texted Kate, sighing when I heard her phone vibrate in the clutch bag that was on the table. I took his hand, ignoring the tingle that traveled up my arm and down my spine at such a simple touch.

Trailing behind him, our hands still connected, I admired the view. Christian in a suit was something to behold. His messy bronze hair was completely opposite from the clean lines of his tailored jacket. It accentuated his muscles, tight where it needed to be. He wore a suit better than anyone I had ever seen.

After another tension filled elevator ride, we entered the lobby. The valets were waiting with his car, and he shielded me from the sudden flashes that flooded the lobby. More valets were suddenly in front of us, blocking their view. We were herded into his black Aston Martin, and he wasted no time shifting it into gear, and speeding away.

"Jack is behind us," he said, and I felt relieved when Jack flashed his headlights to let us know. "Prescott is with him."

"Where are we going?" I asked, confused that he missed the usual exit to Bellevue.

"Your favorite place on Earth," he said simply. "Everyone will join us tomorrow evening. Elliot is throwing a party, but I had a feeling you would want to escape Bellevue before then."

I smiled as he pulled into the familiar marina. I was excited and I smiled at Christian, who looked more relaxed than I had seen him in a while.

"Mac has the yacht ready. It's faster than The Grace," he explained. On a clear day, it took half an hour to reach Boulders Island, or the Greys' private island estate nestled in the San Juan Islands. But, it was dark and the water was choppy, and we both knew that the yacht would be the faster, safer option. Not that I minded. Being out on the water with the promise of escaping the world for twenty four hours appealed.

Prescott followed us with a black duffel bag and I slid off my heels as soon as we were on the deck. Mac and Christian shook hands and Prescott disappeared down into the living quarters as soon as Mac cast off and began maneuvering the yacht out of the harbor.

Christian draped a blanket over my shoulders and sat down next to me as we watched the twinkling lights of Seattle grow smaller and smaller as we entered open water.

"Are you cold?" he asked. I shook my head and scooted over on the lounge chair. He sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and snuggled in next to me. I fixed the blanket over us.

"This reminds me of the first time we took a trip here," I said, reminded of the time when he kidnapped me in the dead of night when I was thirteen. That was a weekend that changed us both. He told me the truth about his past and how it was an unspoken secret that he was adopted. It was a lot for me to digest at the time, but Christian, still a naïve fifteen year old, had wanted to tell someone so badly. After he told me his story, we spent the weekend lying in the sun on towels, playing board games at night, and completely wrapped up in our own thoughts. It was also when we shared our first kiss.

Ever since that summer weekend, Christian had always made a point to sneak me out at night and take me to the island. Except for last summer. I locked my window on the night of July 28th and locked my door. I didn't even know if he tried to sneak in or not that night.

We were both silent as Mac docked the yacht and handed Christian a bag. He helped me off of the boat, and clasped my hand loosely as we strolled up the dock to the slate path. Nestled among spectacular evergreen trees was a small mansion, built by loggers and trappers in the late 1800's. Grace had completely remodeled the inside when we were younger, leaving the original facade and outside in place. It was truly a work of art, and priceless property. The island was a total of eighteen acres, the forest a playground for us when we were younger. As we strolled along the familiar slate path, I jumped on Christian's back. He chuckled and left the bag on the ground for Prescott to pick up. I kept my hands very loose, very careful to only let my arms rest on his shoulders.

He unlocked the door and flipped on the lights, exposing the ultra modern interior. I dropped my heels by the door, and strolled through the great room to the patio. He followed me outside, pausing to grab a fur throw off of one of the couches. We cuddled up on one of the reclining lounge chairs like last time.

"I'll start a fire," he said, climbing out after what seemed like hours. He began working the outdoor fire place, and quickly the patio was illuminated in a soft light and warmth.

"Who knows we are here?" I asked, suddenly curious.

"Well Jack and Prescott, of course, and Mac. Our parents will just think we headed to the island early. We'll take the yacht back to the mainland tomorrow afternoon and pretend we were home and then head back out here," he said. I nodded, understanding why he wanted the secrecy. If our parents found out, a lot of questions would be asked. Even when we were sixteen and eighteen they were concerned. I snuggled deeper into the blanket and froze when my butt brushed Christian's crotch. He coughed and I was extremely aware of his very hard length pressing into my behind as I froze. I felt his lips lightly graze the sensitive spot behind my ear.

"Christian," I breathed, turning to push against his arms.

"Shh," he whispered against my skin. His lips traveled higher, trailing along my jawbone, heating my skin as he traced a path to my lips. His lips were suddenly on mine, steady and pressing. his tongue darted out and traced the seam, and I sighed into his mouth, relishing in the feeling of his tongue stroking mine. His hands started to wander, sliding up and down my side slowly, keeping pace with the strokes of his mouth against mine.

We were lying on our sides, and he gently pushed me onto my back, hovering over me- letting me feel his body, but not the full weight of it. Giving into the feeling, I wrapped my legs loosely around his hips. He pulled away and gazed at me.

"Ana, I need to know that you're sure about this," he said, his eyes black with desire. I nodded and pulled his face back to mine. He rocked his hips into mine and I moaned at the contact.

Before I could register what was happening, he was sitting up, his shirt off, and pulling at my hands to sit me up too. He pulled off my loose white dress revealing my burgundy bra and panties. His swept over my body, sitting in front of him and I felt the blush rise in my cheeks. He stood up and stripped down to his boxers, sitting in front of me again. Both of us could feel the cold, now that we were no longer under the blanket, but it only electrified the atmosphere more. He pulled me to him, his lips much more demanding. He urged me to wrap my legs around his waste as we were sitting face to face. His hands slipped around my back and I felt him unclasp my bra.

His hands were leaving fire as they trailed over my back, sliding around to cup my breasts and squeezing lightly. I ran my fingers through his hair as his left open-mouthed kisses down my neck to my left breast. I let out a moan as I felt his lips clasp around a nipple, his teeth coming out to bite lightly.

"Ah, Christian!" I felt him smile against my skin as his fingers pinched my other nipple, causing a rush of heat to pool between my legs. He was turning me on spectacularly and I pressed myself against his length, eliciting a groan from him. I was desperate for some kind of release and I began to slide my hand underneath his boxers. He pushed me back down onto the fur throw, and slid off his boxers, quirking his eyebrow at me.

He was so well built and I bit my lip, remembering how large he actually was. His hands were at my hips, sliding my panties off and adding them to the pile of clothes on the floor. He grinned salaciously at me, and I squeezed my thighs together trying to get some relief. My sex was throbbing and the way he was just gazing at me wasn't helping. I began to trail my hand down my body to touch myself, when his hand shot out and stopped mine.

He lay down next to me, on his back, his feet placed firmly on the ground. He pulled at my waist, encouraging me to straddle him. He grinned when I was seated on top of him, and pulled me up his body, so I was straddling his face. I braced my hands on the back of the lounge chair, shaking as I felt his soft, hot tongue lick my entire slit. He immediately began working my clit, nibbling slightly, and causing my legs to shake. His fingers joined his tongue and I felt the familiar pressure build. He could tell I was close, clenching around his fingers. He pulled his face away from my lower lips, and I groaned at the loss of contact. He slid down and was rolling on a condom when I turned around to ask him what the fuck he was playing at.

He laid back down, and I quickly straddled him, grinding myself against him, so close to coming. He reached down a slid easily inside, pausing when he felt my walls clench uncontrollably. I closed my eye and gave into the feeling, a fast, tingling warmth spreading all over my body. The pleasure was indescribable, and I was vaguely aware that Christian had pulled out, letting me ride out my orgasm on his fingers.

I was panting heavily as I finally opened my eyes, and he slid back inside, my wall fluttering around him. He grabbed my hips, directing me how to move and I felt the building tension return to my body. He quickly sat up as soon as my hands were about to make contact with his chest and was suddenly driving into me at a ferocious rate, rubbing my clit, chasing his own release.

I couldn't hold on any longer, all of the sensations causing me to explode around him, this time bringing me with him. He collapsed on top of me, burying his face in my neck, our bodies still trembling, him still twitching inside of me as I remained clenched around him, drawing out every last bit of pleasure.

After a while, he pulled out, and removed the condom, knotting it at the top and throwing it on the floor, and pulling the blanket over us. He moved to spoon me, and I relaxed into his arms, letting myself drift off into the safety of sleep.


	3. Part Three

**_I would like to thank technology for making this chapter possible. No computers, no FanFiction._**

I was cold. No scratch that- I was freezing. I was curled up into Christian's side, his arm draped around my shoulder as he slept. I began to wiggle, trying to get up. His eyes flickered open and he yawned, glancing around.

"It's fucking freezing," he said, jumping up. He was completely nude and even thought he cold air should have affected him, it didn't. I tore my eyes away from him, wrapping the blanket around my body. The water was peaceful and the twinkling lights of Seattle in the distance prevented the view from ever seeming boring. I loved it here.

I followed Christian's steps back into the house, letting my mind wander. I was restless, ready to travel and to leave my life behind. I didn't let myself think about the consequences of my latest tryst with Christian. One very nude Christian; who was gazing at my covered form with primal hunger. I shivered, my body responding to his stormy gaze and the intensity of his grey eyes. Fitting, I always thought, for his last name to be Grey and to have eyes that matched the same color.

He crashed into me, knocking me down onto the sofa in the main room. This time, he wasn't gentle. And it wasn't like anything I had ever experienced. Using his belt, he bound my hands above my head, preventing me from dragging my fingernails down his back like I wanted to. I wanted to touch him, feel his damp skin with my hands and tease the best of his body as he set my own on fire.

His kisses were light, creating a trail from the base of my neck down to my stomach and my lower lips. He brushed his nose right over my pubic bone inhaling me and groaning. I tried to close my thighs, but his hands jumped, holding my legs in place- open for him. He gazed at me, his eyes hooded and full of pure lust. I shivered as a finger traced gently in a straight line through my sex. He brought the digit to his lips, his tongue darting out to taste it. I groaned in frustration and he chuckled, before kissing between my legs again. He didn't linger there. I could feel myself growing more and more wet as he kissed my hip bones, biting the skin on the tops of my thighs. I closed my eyes, willing him to touch me where I wanted him most.

"Please," I breathed out. I felt his lips leave my body and I couldn't feel his breathe anywhere on my skin. As I was about to open my eyes, I felt him slide into me excruciatingly slowly. I moaned at the feeling of him, stretching, rubbing, and sliding into my sex. Just as slowly he began to pull out again, until I could no longer feel him inside of me. I whimpered at the loss of the sensation, wanted, needing some kind of sweet relief.

I felt his tongue swipe through my folds and I lifted me head, only to be met with the hottest sight I had ever seen. Christian's dark eyes bored into mine and I almost wanted to escape the intensity of his look. Almost.

My hips began to take on a life of their own, rising and falling as his tongue began to explore, probing and sucking. I jolted as his teeth lightly grazed my clit, causing him to moan. The same finger he teased me with earlier joined the party, sliding in an out of me at a rapid pace. He added another and curled them, nearly sending me to the edge. He removed his hands and his mouth as he stood up. He pulled the condom off of his erection, and began to stroke himself, fisting his hand as he gazed at me.

"Touch yourself. I want to see how you get yourself off. I want to see you pleasure yourself the way you've been doing it all of these years. Since I heard your moans through the bathroom door in this house when you were fourteen," he said, unfastening the belt. I was so worked up and in such turmoil, I couldn't even comprehend what he was implying.

My hand shot straight down between my legs, cupping my sex, as I felt the familiar wetness pool in my palm. I rubbed my hand up and down, my whole hand stimulating my lips. My other hand drifted south, and began to rub my clit furiously as I began inserting two fingers into my dripping pussy after every pass. Christian was groaning as his own hand sped up to match the pace I was setting as I chased my orgasm.

"Shit," I let out as I felt the walls of my sex begin to flutter and the edge come closer and closer.

"Stop," Christian said, rolling on another condom. He was so domineering and commanding, but I would be lying if I said it didn't make the experience even more intense. He grabbed my waist, pulling up from the couch. I was shaking in need and he bent me over one of the arms.

He slammed into me, his lips on my throat sucking and kissing. It was a fast and furious fucking, and I reached my peak before I knew it, feeling my release drip down my legs as I slumped into the couch. Christian followed quickly after, cursing and falling on top of me. I was thoroughly spent and exhausted.

He pulled out of me, and I felt extremely empty at the loss of him. He helped me stand and kissed the top of my head before guiding me to lie down in the nest of blankets and pillows he built by the now roaring fire. I felt him spoon me from behind as I fell into a deep sleep.

My own moan the next morning woke me up as I felt Christian sliding in and out of me at a leisurely pace from behind, both of us still lying on our sides. His hand rubbed at the same pace of his thrusts, bringing me to a shattering orgasm that had me shaking as I quickly dressed in the clothes Christian had packed for me.

We strolled back down the path to the dock hand in hand, enjoying the peace and comfortable quiet. Neither of us knew, or wanted, to break the silence.

Mac was cheerful as he helped us back onto the yacht. He chatted with Christian the entire ride back, while I watched Seattle grow closer and closer. We thanked him profusely, making promises to see him again tonight.

"Have you seen my phone?" I asked Christian, wondering why it wasn't in the cup holder of his car.

"No I haven't. I don't think you even brought it to the island," he said, pulling out of the parking lot and into the Seattle traffic. "Here, use mine to call it."

I groaned. "It went straight to voicemail. I'll have to look it up on my computer as soon as we get home."

"Sorry," he said. "What time are you and Elliot getting back to the dock? The yacht will leave at 8. Dad said the six of us could take the sail boat if we wanted to."

"I'll talk to Elliot and ask once I get home," I said. I bit my lip, not really knowing how to ask this question. I focused not the road in front of us, instead of Christian's dexterous hands on the gear shift. "What was the thing with the belt last night?"

"You didn't like it," he said. It was't phrased as a question.

"No! I mean, I didn't not like it. It's just, I've never, never really done something like that before," I said, blushing. "It was kind of hot though."

Christian chuckled. "I won't do it again unless you ask me to."

I didn't respond, still mulling over the fact that Christian expected there to be a next time. He guessed what I was thinking.

"Do you want there to be a next time?" he asked. He sounded nervous and I didn't look at him as I responded.

"Yes."

He dropped me off at my front door, grinning salaciously as I winced, trying to get out of the car. I snuck into the house, calming down the exuberant dog that was waiting for me. We snuck back up to my room, and I hopped in the bath in hopes of recharging and resting before tonight.

Parties at the Grey's private island were legendary, invitation only events. You had to be directly invited by either Christian or Mia as the yacht could only take 100 people. Elliot and I usually stayed with Christian and Mia for the days following the party, and Kate and Ethan would come back with the parents after that. It was a summer tradition, like Christian sneaking me out to the island every summer.

I dragged myself out of the bath and went to go and track my phone's location. It was still on the island. I groaned and sent a message to Christian, telling him we had to find it before anyone else did once we got there.

I wandered downstairs, pleased to find pancakes on the table with my family sitting down, reading various papers and talking.

"Morning," I said, taking the seat next to Elliot and across from my parents.

"Good morning, Anastasia," my father said with a pleasant smile. "I'm glad you made it home safely last night."

I felt Elliot nudge my foot under the table, and I ignored him, trying to come up with a suitable lie to tell him later. He knew I got home earlier this morning.

"Are you two looking forward to the party tonight?" my mother asked, polishing off her coffee.

I nodded. "It will be great to go back there this summer."

My parents left the kitchen table and floated through the expansive kitchen to enter the living room. Elliot turned to me as soon as they were out of the room.

"Where were you last night?" he asked, smiling.

"None of your business, big brother," I teased back, poking his nose.

"Damn it, Ana. I wish you were still my innocent baby sister," he said sighing. "Hey, do you know where Christian got to last night?"

I shook my head. "He left by himself. He didn't tell me where he went so I just got a cab home."

Elliot nodded. "We'll meet up with him and Mia at seven at the dock."

"Sounds good," I said, grabbing a pancake and eating with my hands as I headed back up to my room to pack.

Kate called me through my iPad and we spent the next hour talking about this this guy who was all over her last night and that my brother didn't do anything about it.

"Look, Kate. Elliot wants to be the good guy and he's too afraid to make a big showy statement about how he feels. He'll see you with a guy and won't do anything to jeopardize it because he thinks you'll never forgive him for interfering," I said, trying to explain my brother's stupidity. "Maybe tonight you should be really obvious about telling guys to go away and always staying within Elliot's line of sight."

"Thanks for listening to me ramble, Steele. How was your night?" she asked.

"I left early," I said. "But you know the photographer, Jose Rodriguez? He gave me his card. He was interest in me being some sort of model for him."

"Wow! That's amazing! Are you going to call him?" she asked, extremely interested.

"I don't really know, Kate. It's already hard enough with the media's increased presence since we got home and I'm not sure I really want to model," I said, flipping the card through my fingers.

"Well, we all know it's your dream work as a designer, and if you think that the Tory Burch internship will get you there, then go for that. However, I think adding some modeling wouldn't hurt. Just promise me you'll really think about it before turning it down," she begged.

"I don't know, Kate. I'm not exactly modeling material," I said.

"I'm not even going to dignify that comment with a response," she said.

"I'll figure it out," I said, shrugging. "I really need to pack."

"Alright then, see you later," she said, hanging up.

I sighed and placed the business card on the cork board above my desk, standing to get dressed and finish packing.

I threw on a white and black striped shirt with a black skirt an death jacket. Keeping it casual, I slipped into my black boat shoes, packing a pair of heels for later. It wasn't fun trying to keep balanced on the sail boat while wearing heels.

Elliot knocked on my door, announcing that it was time to go. I grabbed my suitcase and headed downstairs to where Jack was waiting with the car. Elliot and Jack were deep in conversation about the Mariners as we drove towards the marina. I was too focused on trying to find my phone before anyone else did.

Jack waved us off as we strolled along the gangplank to board the yacht. Mia bounced over to us, greeting us with hugs.

"Tonight is going to be the best party yet!" Mia said exuberantly, pulling me towards Kate. She smirked at me and handed me a glass of champagne. "I decided that everyone who is not us, of course, will be off the island at one. That way we can all spend time together like we used to before partying became a thing."

Kate grinned at her. "That's an excellent idea Mia."

Mia beamed with the praise and I smiled and nodded, my stomach doing flips as I quickly drained my glass and excused myself to find another. As I handed off my empty glass to the waiter, I saw Christian laughing and chatting with Elliot and Ethan. He must have felt my eyes on him because he turned his head and winked. I blushed instantly and headed back to the girls, willing my cheeks to calm down. I still hadn't had the chance to talk to him after our mutual admission earlier this morning. And now I had to face the other guests who were slowly starting to board the yacht as well.

I mingled and willed the fake smile to stay in place as I interacted with the people from my class. I had wanted to escape after senior year and I wished I could do the same now. Thankfully, the yacht started to move and music was playing on the deck so the party was slowly getting started. I saw Elliot start a game of beer pong with some glasses and shook my head when Gail, a girl from my old high school, told me that Elliot had been carrying around ping pong balls in his pocket.

I meandered over to the table, saying hello to more of the guests. We all knew everyone on this boat, but none of them were as close to us as they thought we were. Mia was like Grace. She saw this as "community bonding". She wanted to make sure that she still had friends and was less socially isolated than her older siblings.

People were dancing and laughing as the yacht entered the sound. I strolled towards the bow of yacht, around the deck and away from the crowds. No one was up here and I enjoyed the feeling of the wind in my face as I saw the Greys' island get closer and closer.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Christian whispered, making me jump.

"You scared me," I said softly, still not turning to face him. It was dark now and I didn't want him to know what I was thinking . He was always able to see right through me.

"Tonight," he said. "After everyone else leaves, meet me at the treehouse."

I nodded. "Once everyone else is asleep. We need to get them all drunk."

Christian chuckled lightly. "From what is happening out there, I think they are doing a good job of that."

I heard his soft footsteps grow more distant and a sudden cheer as the yacht slowed and pulled up next to the jetty.

Kate was waiting for me and I grinned at her as we linked arms with Mia and headed down the path towards the house. The bass was thumping and I finally felt a little lighter as we walked into the main room and joined the crowd. People were dancing and drinking and smoking and playing games. The atmosphere was dark- only the natural light from the full moon streaming in through the skylights illuminated peoples' faces. The colored lights from the set up around the speakers added to the dark room creating a slightly seductive atmosphere. Tonight, I had a mission.

"Kate, you need to go and hang out with Elliot. You need to make the first move," I shouted into her ear. I handed her a shot and she grinned at me nervously before walking towards him. He tucked her under his arm and I smirked, watching them start a new game of pong together. It was a comforting sight.

I felt an arm go around my waist and I looked up to see Christian pulling me out of the room towards doors.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"I couldn't wait until later," he said, leading me towards the treehouse.

"I don't feel like fucking outside, Christian," I admonished him as I awkwardly followed him into the tight space.

"Later, Ana," he said. He held his arms open and I melted into his embrace. For the past sixteen years I had never been able to hug him. There was no way to say no to his offer.

"This is nice," I whispered, inhaling his unique scent.

I felt him press a kiss to the crown of my head. "I'm in love with you, Anastasia."

I gasped and pulled away, looking at his nervous expression.

He swallowed and continued. "I've been in love with you for as long as I can remember. I don't want to waste any more time fucking around with you. I want you to be mine."

Tears sprang to my eyes at his confession. "I love you too, Christian."

 _ **This story started as something else, was pulled and rewritten twice, reposted three times, and finally changed into this. Short and sweet is the way I decided to keep it. Thank you to those who have encouraged me to stick with this story from the very first post of the first chapter nearly two years ago. I'm sorry I'm not making it longer, but I wanted this to stand alone.**_


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